Rhonda Mills

Special Education Department

Walton High School

Bronx, New York      

 

 

RACIAL PROFILING IN TIMES OF NATIONAL CRISIS

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

 

A year has passed since the United States was attacked on its own soil, claiming its non- military citizens as victims.  That event smashed onto American soil for the first time in its history. The proclaimed attackers were from a far away area of the globe.  Their stories are now well known; they were trained terrorists that were Muslims from Arab speaking countries.

 

Since the attack, immigrants and Arab-Americans have been questioned and detained in police stations and federal detention centers for questioning.  These actions have been defended by the U.S. government as “probable cause” actions under the premise of national security.

 

The attackers on 9/11 looked different from the average American prototype; they were people of color and had different beliefs about how America’s role in their world that they felt affected them. They were neither Christians nor Jews. The attackers’ plan and assault had individual purposes, masked by their religious beliefs. Yet many Americans of their descent live here and immigrate to America.

 

America, in its new grief, has begun to seek out the machine of terrorism in an effort to prevent another catastrophe at the hands of the same group of attackers.

 

 

Problem

 

Since the 9/11 tragedy, students are being stopped by local police, and in some cases, federal officers, about their whereabouts.  The police claim that they must ask these questions because of anonymous “tips” and that you are required to have appropriate identification.

 

You and your team of classmates are representing the Walton Teen Scene, a Bronx community group that addresses the problems of students in your neighborhood. You meet once a week at school to discuss various problems not particularly associated with school, but with your neighborhood, problems that affect you as students.

 

The Walton Teen Scene (your community team) is concerned about the policy of racial profiling, a policy that has been historically enforced during wartime and other times of national unrest. 

 

Some students have been very upset after being detained at local precincts for questioning. The community is facing problem of complaints from students being questioned about their identities and are being asked for photo identification.  A few students are being briefly detained at the precinct because they resemble Arab teens or are Arab teens. They are questioned about their daily routines and whereabouts. The local police claim that this is procedure because of the climate of terrorism.

 

Task

 

Following the six steps of the Public Policy Analysis (PPA), http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppae/ppae1.html  you will identify the problem of racial profiling.  You will prepare a written report based on your research and the guiding questions.  The report will follow with an oral report based on your written paper.

 

The Process

 

Following the six steps of the PPA, http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppae/ppae1.html you will identify the problem of racial profiling.

 

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/intro.html

 

 

You will examine the problem by researching the sites in our resources with the links listed.  Based on your research your written report will support your position. One student from each group will record the group’s research.  They are facilitators. They will record the links that give the connecting information. They will highlight the information from the links to support their position.

 

When your research is completed, you will use the probing questions to highlight information in your written report. You may also create your own questions for the research and written report.  When the report is finished in Microsoft Word, a chosen speaker from each group will present the oral report to the class.  The class will act as the office of our local Congressman, as though you were presenting the problem to that office.

 

Probing questions and guides for your report

 

·        Describe the problem of racial profiling. (Example: Racial profiling is the act of….

 

·        Give two examples of cases of racial profiling during times of national crisis, including current crises. Refer to the links below.  Identify the timelines of the wars or national crisis.

 

·        What rights as a citizen, if any, are challenged with this policy?

 

·        What, if any, are the effects of racial profiling on the community?

 

·        Is racial profiling an aid to fighting terrorism?

 

·        What price, if any will citizens pay if this course of action continues?

 

·        Do you think that racial profiling should be revised (changed) to fit the current national crisis?

 

·        Did a policy of racial profiling exist in the United States in previous times of war or crisis?

 

·        Why do you think your position is the right one?

 

 

 

 

Resources

 

You must defend your position by using the research links in this Webquest.

 

 

 

Internet Resources

 

Define the problem:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html

 

Gather evidence:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/gather.html

 

Identify causes:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/identify.html

 

Evaluate a policy:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/existing.html

 

Develop a solution:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/solutions.html

 

Select the best solution:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/bestsol.html

 

General Search Engines:

 

https://www.google.com/

http://www.yahoo.com/

http://www.altavista.com/

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Your class has now researched the problem of racial profiling. It is up to your group to determine (decide; make up your minds ;) if the policy of racial profiling during times of war or crisis is right for the government to implement (put into use.)

 

Case Studies

 

http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Cultures_and_Groups/People_of_Color/Racial_Profiling/

 

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/terrorism/july-dec02/community_9-25.html

 

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/race_relations/july-dec02/policing_8-14.html

 

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/religion/july-dec01/fear_10-30.html

 

http://ask.elibrary.com/getdoc.asp?pubname=The_New_Republic&puburl=http~C~~S~~S~www.thenewrepublic.com~S~&querydocid=46670586@urn:bigchalk:US;Lib&dtype=0~0&dinst=0&author=James+Forman+Jr%2E&title=The+conservative+case+against+racial+profiling%2E++&date=09%2D10%2D2001&query=Racial+profiling&maxdoc=30&idx=8#besthit

 

World War II references

 

http://www.gliah.uh.edu/modules/ww2/bibliographical_essay.html

 

 

http://www.dsba.org/apr99bk.htm Brief description of laws during national crises

 

Actual stories of WW II internment

http://staff.killingly.k12.ct.us/~cmarcotte/CP%20US%20documents/World%20War%20II/world_war_ii.htm

 

http://staff.killingly.k12.ct.us/~cmarcotte/CP%20US%20documents/World%20War%20II/japanese_internment_cases.htm

 

EVALUATION

 

 

RUBRIC FOR WRITTEN REPORT

 

 

 

Remember what you learned about your acronym for writing!

 

 

Plan              Think of what you want to say.

Organize       Put your research in order

Write            Put important your ideas down.

Edit              Fix your mistakes.

Rewrite         Write the final paper.

:

Rating

 

4

 

Excellent; on target.

3

 

Very ­­Good

2

 

Very Close

1

 

Not even close

Directions for research

 

Students answered all probing questions completely.

Research was complete

 

Students answered most questions with good answers. Research was mostly completed.

 

Students answered some questions but left others out.

Some research was completed.

 

Students did not complete nor answer the probing questions.

 

No research was completed.

 

 

Research

Completed

Students referred to the most important links for research following steps of the PPA.

Students used almost all of the links to find information following the steps of the PPA.

Students did not use enough of the PPA links.

Students used only one or none of the PPA links provided to answer the probing questions.

 

 

Language and Grammar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language and

Grammar

Students used the most appropriate language. 

 

 

 

Full sentences were used, and most of the right grammar and punctuation were used appropriately.

 

 

Most sentences had the right punctuation and word usage.

Students used the dictionary to correct errors. Students used the POWER acronym.

Students attempted (tried) to use the right language. 

 

 

 

Most sentences and statements had the correct grammar and punctuation.

 

 

There were only some spelling mistakes.

Students used the dictionary to some degree.

 

Students used some of the POWER acronym.

Students did not use enough standard English. 

 

 

 

The writing did not use enough appropriate language.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students need to refer to the dictionary for some spelling mistakes.

 

 

Students did not use enough of the POWER acronym.

Students did not work to use standard English. 

 

 

The language was too “street” and not appropriate for this assignment.

 

 

 

Students did not ask for help with the writing process. 

 

 

Students need to refer to Ms. Mills POWER acronym for writing.

 

 

 

Rubric for Oral Presentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rating

4

Excellent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

Very Good

2

Tried very hard but not complete

1

Didn’t try hard enough

Speaking to the class/

Congressman’s  mock office

 

 

 

 

Student made a great presentation based on the written report. They used most of the PPA guidelines.

Students made a very good report.  They tried to use the most important values of the links to the PPA.

Students made a good interpretation of the written report.  They used some of the key elements of the PPA guidelines.

Students did not make a specific attempt to use the guidelines of the report rubric.

 

They did not work hard enough to complete the guidelines of the PPA.

 

 

 

SPEAKING

Student’s presentation was clear and to the point.  He/she expressed her view according to the guideline.

Student was confident about his/her position.  They expressed themselves well according to the Webquest PPA guidelines and examined the problem well.

Student’s presentation was clear but not right on the point.  He/she gave and expressed their view very close to the PPA guideline.

 

Student was somewhat clear about their position. 

They expressed themselves quite well, according to the PPA guidelines.

Student’s presentation was somewhat clear.  He/she did not follow their views closely enough to the written PPA guideline.

Student’s presentation was not near the guidelines.

 

They did not use the rubric to use nor complete the task.

 

 

 

Standards Met:

 

English Language Arts

 

E1 Reading

 

1c)     Read and comprehend informational material

 2a)     Produce a report of information

 2 e)   Produce a persuasive essay

 

E3 Speaking, Listening and Viewing

 

 

3b)     Participate in group meetings

3c)     Prepare and deliver an individual presentation

 

E4 Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language

 

4a)     Independently and habitually demonstrate and understanding of the rules of the English Language in written and oral work.

 

4b)     Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness

 

E5 Literature

 

5a)     Respond to non- fiction using interpretive and critical processes

 

E6 Public Documents

 

6a) Critique public documents with an eye to strategies common in public discourse

 

E7 Functional documents

 

7B)    Produce a functional document appropriate to audience and purpose

 

 

Social Studies

 

SS5

Civics, Citizenship, and Government: students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding for establishing governments: The government system of the U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution, the basic civic values of the American Constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.